Oil well pump valve



Sept. 24, 1957 L. E BAILEY ETAL OIL WELL PUMP VALVE Filed Sept. 18, 1952 United States Patent O OIL WELL PUMP VALVE Lloyd Earl Bailey, Kinmundy, Ill., and Harvey B. Wood, Stroud, Okla.

Application September 18, 1952, Serial No. 310,300 Claims. (Cl. 137-242) This invention relates to improvements in oil well pump valves and the like, and in particular concerns a double seat arrangement with self-servicing features in the valve seats. To .be more specic, this invention relates to an oil well pump valve in which a special type of valve having a twin seat is provided with means to cause the valve to have a scouring action which keeps the seats clean, thereby providing a sealing action with each stroke of the pump.

This cleaning feature built as an integral part of the seat makes use of a rotary movement of the valve to clean the valve passage of any foreign material in the oil being pumped.

Construction of the double seat on the valve is such as to provide an exceptionally large area in seating surface, thereby giving longer service at a higher eicency before replacement is necessary.

The interlocking faces enable the valveto be used at greater depths than similar valves. This interlocking feature cuts down on slippage, or uid leaking past the seats because of the resistance to leakage ilow caused by two 90 turns in the interlocking faces of the valve. Higher pump eiciency and longer wear are thus obtained.

In the past, oil well pumpvalve assemblies have been subjected to considerable wear by the continuous pumping action and interference of foreign matter in the oil being pumped. This combined action has contributed to cause difliculty in the seating of these valves so that there is no perfect lit which results in loss of pumping eiciency and a decreased volume of oil being pumped. There have been attempts to solve this problem by providing either flat or lconical valves which have impeller structures incorporated therein so that there is a rotary movement of the valve against the valve seat as it is being seated in the course of the pumping process. This has caused a scouring action against the valve seat which tends to equalize any mist. Although this was an improvement, there was no solution of the ultimate problem, sinceleakage through the valve and loss of efficiency was still effected. Av further problem in this eld has been the clogging of the valve assembly beneath the filter screen.v Valves located beneath this screen have a tendency to become clogged when foreign matter is blocked by the screen and accumulates in the valve passages.

By means of this invention, there has been provided a valve having twin seats for use in an oil well pump valve assembly which provides a veryecient sealing action and has a self-servicing feature that eiects long and useful service with positive protection against misiitting. A positive seal is effected by means of this valve which effectively prevents any oil from passing through the twin seats of the valve when it is in a closed position and, as a result of this action, there has been provided a new and improved valve which is of great value in this field and which does not require close manufacturing tolerances in the manufacture of the twin seats. Likewise, there has been provided a valve which is adapted to t below the filter screen in the valve assembly which Vhas a cleaning and 2,807,277 Patented Sept. 24,. 1957 pulverizing action on any impurities clogged in the valve passages such that a self-cleaning action is effected. This latter valve, likewise, has a self-seating feature which maintains the valve seat in exact and close-fitting relationship throughout its entire life.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an oil well pump valve which has a positive sealing action and has means for maintaining the seats in a closely aligned iit.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an oil well pump valve having twin seats, so that a positive sealing action is obtained upon closure of the valve, and to provide this valve with rotary impelling means to effect a constant alignment of the seats.

A further object of this invention is to provide a valve for use in conjunction with the filter screen in an oil Well valve pump which has a self-cleaning feature for breaking up and pulverizing any impurities in the Value passages.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a valve for use in conjunction with a filter screen which has impurity breaking-up features and means for maintaining its seats in proper alignment.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an oil well pump valve assembly having valves made out of standard parts which are rugged and efficient in operation and are effective to cause improved sealing action upon closure and maintain the valve free of obstructions due to impurities.

Other desirable objects of this invention will appear in part from a description of the invention which follows and will be further evident to those skilled in the art.

The drawing shows the valves of this invention in a conventional oil well pump valve assembly, but it is obvious that these valves are of such structure that they may be used in other appropriate valve assemblies and are not limited to the particular construction shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevational view showing the oil well pumpv valve assembly in which the valves of this invention are employed;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view taken partly in a vertical section of the upper part of Fig. 1, showing the two valves in the assembly in closed position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view taken in the same manner as Fig. 2, showing the lower portion of the valve assembly;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of lthe twin-seated self-seating valve; and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the scale or impurity breaking-up valve likewise havi g a rotary self-sealing and impelling action.

Referring now to the drawings, and Fig. 1 in particular, a valve assembly 10 is shown which is adapted to be used in a conventional oil well pump. This valve assembly, which is adapted to be connected in conventional manner to a reciprocating oil well pump comprises an upper valve cage 11 connected to a lower valve cage 13 by an intermediate adapter 12. At the bottom of the lower valve cage, is a lower valve seat tube 14 which is fastened at its bottom to a connector tube 15 and a socket 16.

As is more readily shown in Fig. 2, the upper valve cage 11 includes rectangular fluid openings 17 through which the fluid flows between the valve assembly and the pump (not shown). These openings extend down to adjacent the top of a valve member when it is in the closed position to provide a sediment flushing action, as will more fully appear hereinbelow. The upper valve cage is provided with a bored opening 18 which serves as a valve stem guide. This guide 1S is further provided with two relief ports 19 and 20, both of which communicate with the exterior of the valve cage to provide a cushioning action and to relieve any back pressure caused by reciprocation of the valve when it opens. The adapter 12 which is connected at the bottom of the upper valve cage is provided with an uppervalve seat 21 anda lower concentric valve seat 22. f

The twin-seated valve of this invention is disclosed generally at 23 in "Fig, 2 and includes the valve stem 24 and valve body 25. This valve body has its peripheral edges closely spaced to the interior wall of the bottom portion of the valve cage 11'to provide a cushioning function when the valve closes, as will more fully appear. The valve body comprises an inner valve seat 26 and an outer concentric valve seat 27 which is disposed below the inner valve seau/The inner valve seat 26 and the outer valve seat 27 of the valve body mate, respectively, with the upper valve seat 21 and the lower valve seat 22 of the adapter 12. The valve body 25 further includes a lower depending portion having a flat bottom surface which-is radially cut away to form vanes 28 therein.

The adapter is fitted at its bottom to the lower valve cage 13 and the upper portion of this adapter serves as a stop for a filter screen or disk 29 which is threadably positioned on the interior of the valve cage. Situated within the lower valve cage is a lower valve member shown generally at 30 which rests upon the upper valve seat 31 of the lower valve tube 14. This lower valve member has on its upper face a series of radial vanes 32 cut therein. Extending along the sides of the valve member are additional cut-in vanes 33. Debris and scale cutting prongs 34 are provided on the sides of the valve intermediate and side vanes 33. The bottom face of the valve is provided with a seating disk of leather or like material at 35 which is fitted around a depending guide stem and centering element 36 which fits within the bore of the tube 14.

Operation The function of the valve elements in the valve assembly during the suction and pressure steps of the conventional reciprocating pump operation is `as follows:

In the suction stage, the suction applied through openings 17 to the upper valve cage lifts the upper valve 23 and causes liquid to be withdrawn through this valve opening. -As soon as this upper valve is unseated, the suction will be applied tothe lower valve member 30, and this, in turn, will be caused to rise away from the lower valve seat 31. In both cases, the passage of liquid through the valve openings and past the valves will, by contact with the radial vanes 28 of the upper valve 23 and the top vanes 32 and side vanes 33 of the lower valve 30, cause a rotary motion to be imparted to the respective valves. On the return or pressure cycle of the reciprocating pump, pressurewill be applied to the top of the valve body 25 of the upper valve and also through the relief valve port openings 19 to the top of the valve stern 24 to cause this valve to be seated. In this seating operation the closely spaced relation of the peripheral edges of the valve body 25 with the lower interior wall of the valve cage 11 provides a cushioning action when the valve moves against the valve seats. This featureV is obtained due to uid between these elements and prevents sharp impact of the valve upon the valve seats whereby wear and attrition are greatly minimized. When this seating takes effect, there is a rotary motion still effective on the valve body such that the inner and outer seats of theupper valve grind against the upper and lower valve seats respectively of the adapter so as to effect a Vscouring or grinding action on the respective mating surfaces. It is readily seen that, when this is effected, any imperections or elevations in the seat will be subjected to greater force than lowered portions and will be ground to 'an equal or smooth fit. When this `=closure is effected. a very tight seal is obtained by means of the twin seats, since the passage of oil must first go through the depending portion of the valve 25 over the upper valve seat 21 and then down and across the lower valve seat 22, which effects a very tortuous path and efficient seal such that a most effective suction is obtained in the efficiency of the pump operation. Likewise, by venting the guide 18 to the exterior of the valve cage housing to the ports 20, there is obtained a very free and cushioned action in the movement of the valve 23 so that a full suction is applied to the valve on the suction cycle without any shock to the valve stern when it is limited in its upward movement by the end of guide 18. Likewise, a full cushioned pressure is applied to the upper surface of the valve 20 and the upper portion ofthe valve stem 24 on the pressure cycle, without obstruction of the valve stem by any liquid entrapped in the guide. It will further be observed that in the pressure cycle when the valve 23 is closed the top of the valve body is positioned closely adjacent to the bottom of the openings 17 in the valve cage 11. This permits sediment such as sand and the like to be flushed out through these openings and prevents substantial accumulations upon the valvewhich otherwise would impair its operation.

When the suction cycle is completed and the pressure cycle is begun, the lower valve 30 will drop with a rotary motion upon the lower valve seat 31 and will, by means of this rotary motion, cause a very smooth and even mating t to be obtained with the valve disk 35. During all of this rotary motion, it is to be noted that the cutting prongs 34 at the sides of the valve 30, as well as the top vanes 32 and the side cutting vanes 33, will be effective to break up any foreign matter or scale that may build up beneath the filter screen 29 so as to pulverize and comminute this matter so that no lobstruction or clogging of the valve passage will be effected. The annular recess 37 around the lower valve seat 31 insures that any foreign matter or debris that settles within the lower valve cage does not obstruct the mating of the valve seat surfaces, and it is further to be noted that any debris that might tend to collect between the valve seat surfaces will, by means of the rotary motion 4of the valve, be carried outward due to the centrifugal force imparted to it so that it will lodge in the aforementioned recess.

Although this invention has been described with relation to an oil well pump valve, it is apparent that it may be used in any double-acting reciprocating pump and is not limited to the use in oil wells. It is further apparent that there has been provided, by means of this invention, a valve assembly having two valves therein which are of an improved self-sealing and self-servicing nature, and may be used in various other modifications which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle and scope of the invention will be defined by the vappended claims.

What is claimed is: y

l. In a valve assembly having an upper and a lower valve housing, the improvement comprising in the upper valve housing a valve having a twin valve seat and a valve member, said twin valve seat comprising a first at annular seating element and a second concentric outer annular seating element disposed beneath said first element and connected thereto by a vertical cylindrical wall, said valve member having a first annular valve seating surface-and a second concentric outer valve seating Surface disposed beneath said first valve seating surface a distance equal tothe distance between the first and second seating elements, said first and second seating surfaces being connected by a vertical cylindrical wall which is adapted to fit closelyA adjacent to and Von the outside of the vertical wall connecting the rst and second seating elements, andY means for imparting a rotary motion to said valve member when fluid passes in contact with the valve seating surfaces comprising radial vanes on the end of said valve member depending centrally from the interior of said first annular seating surface'and below either of said seating surfaces and in the lower housing, a lower valve member separated from said upper housing by a filter means, and having surface of revolution seating means, means for imparting a rotary motion to said lower valve member when a fluid passes by said lower valve member including iluid contacting vanes thereon, and additional means on said lower valve member extending radially beyond said valve for breaking up pieces of foreign matter when said valve is undergoing a rotary movement, said two last mentioned means being on the same side of said lower valve member.

2. In an apparatus of the type described, a valve member with an upstream and a downstream side and having surface of revolution seating means, means for imparting a rotary motion to said valve member when a fluid passes by said valve member including uid contacting vanes thereon, and additional means on said valve member extending radially beyond said valve for breaking up pieces f foreign matter when said valve is undergoing a rotary movement, said two last mentioned means being on the same side of said valve member.

3. In an apparatus of the type described, a valve member with an upstream and a downstream side and having surface of revolution seating means, means for imparting a rotary motion t-o said valve when a fluid passes by said valve including uid contacting vanes thereon, and additional means on said valve for breaking up pieces of foreign matter when said valve is undergoing a rotary movement comprising prongs extending radially from said valve, said two last mentioned means being on the same side of said valve.

4. A valve assembly having a housing therein, a lter means in said housing for blocking particles of foreign matter, a valve in said housing including a valve member and a valve 'seat spaced from said lter means, said valve seat being on the side of the valve member Iopposed to said lter means, said valve member having means thereon for breaking up said foreign matter which accumulates between the lter and the valve when uid passes by said valve and for causing said valve to maintain its seats in even alignment, said means including means for imparting a rotary motion to said valve, and means on said valve member extending through said valve seat in both the lopen and closed positions of the valve for maintaining proper positioning.

5. In an apparatus of the type described, a valve housing and a valve having a twin valve seat and a valve member, said twin valve seat comprising a rst at annular seating element and a second concentric outer annular seating element disposed beneath said iirst element, said louter annular seating element being bounded eXteriorly by a vertical wall of the valve housing which is spaced closely adjacent to and encloses the peripheral edges of the valve member when it is moved into and out of seating relationship, said valve member having a rst annular valve seating surface and a second concentric outer valve seating surface disposed beneath said first valve seating surface a distance equal to the distance between the first and second seating elements, and means for preventing substantial accumulation of sediment from the uid being controlled upon the valve member when it is in the seated position, said last named means including the vertical wall of the valve housing which has fluid openings, the bottom edges of which are positioned closely adjacent to the top of the valve member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 77,359 Colwell Apr. 28, 1868 201,352 Little Mar. 19, 1878 245,904 Wiley Aug. 16, 1881 264,338 Redmond Sept. 12, 1882 529,133 McIntosh NOV. 13, 1894 553,390 Burns Jan. 21, 1896 617,118 McLeod Ian. 3, 1899 764,877 Anderson July 12, 1904 929,994 Struben Aug. 3, 1905 937,773 Cunning Oct. 26, 1909 977,105 Lippold Nov. 29, 1910 1,059,104 Bailey Apr. 15, 1913 1,157,641 Fisher Oct. 19, 1915 1,193,849 Viger Aug. 8, 1916 1,218,030 Witmer Mar. 6, 1917 1,381,078 Shevlin n June 7, 1921 1,529,924 Sandlin Mar. 17, 1925 1,539,318 Kill May 26, 1925 1,583,404 Lovejoy May 4, 1926 1,902,577 Oakley Mar. 21, 1933 2,687,276 Hornsby Aug. 24, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 319,047 Great Britain --,Sept 16, 1929 

